Rangers boss Russell Martin unfazed by empty Ibrox as Genk test looms

Rangers manager Russell Martin said he remains unfazed by the prospect of facing Genk in front of thousands of empty seats as the club opens its Europa League group-stage campaign. Genk visit Glasgow for the first of eight group matches, a fixture that follows a 2-0 Premier Sports Cup semi-final win over Hibernian. Attendance at Ibrox on Sunday was 34,682, a crowd that secured cup progress despite protests outside the stadium. Martin stressed that performance and momentum matter more than the size of the crowd and urged his players to deliver a display that makes fans want to return.

Rangers have struggled domestically, failing to win any of their first five Premiership matches this season, and Genk arrive in Glasgow with a point to prove. The Belgian side are hoping to pile more pressure on Martin as they chase a result that could lift Genk into contention in the group. 'We just have to keep putting in performances. I think it is not surprising the cup game wasn't full up. It is what it is. We can't ask any more from the fans, how they've been actually inside the stadium and the way they've got behind the team when we're playing in a way that we want to play in. I hope the fans are there and they see a performance that is improved from Saturday. I hope we can win the game and build some momentum.'

Martin said he has not been unsettled by the mounting criticism that has followed his appointment and the team's rocky start. 'Being a head coach or manager of any team or club is not easy,' he said. 'There are obviously so many opinions because of the level of interest in this game and what it does to people and how much it means to people. I have actually, in a perverse way, enjoyed that as well. I think you have to try and find enjoyment in everything. The fans made their feelings clear before Saturday's Premier Sports Cup tie against Hibernian.'

Looking back at the week after the cup win, Martin said there was a noticeable difference. 'I really felt a difference last week. We just spent a bit of time together away from it all, so it set up the week nicely. Last week was a really good week and then we finished it with a performance which I am really proud of still, in a difficult situation, in difficult circumstance for the players. They were amazing last week in the fact that they were really together, trained really hard and then put a performance on the pitch that they enjoyed. We looked like how we want to be really. There is still loads of improvement, but it looked way more like it should.'

New defender Derek Cornelius has promised to give the Ibrox faithful something to cheer about and stressed the need to harness the energy of the supporters from the start. 'I think our fan base can be our biggest strength, but also one of our biggest obstacles to overcome. When they get behind us, I think it can be definitely a 12th man on the pitch.' He added that the onus is on the players to deliver so the crowd can feed off their performance.

Cornelius's comments come ahead of a Hampden meeting with Celtic on November 2, a match that could provide Rangers with a much-needed lift if they can sustain improvement under Martin. The Norwegian-born manager has stressed the squad will keep working and trust that the outcome will be positive as they pursue a return to form in Europe.

Genk's visit to Ibrox will kick off a demanding eight-match run in the Europa League group stage, a timetable that could define Martin's tenure as he looks to build momentum amid a season that has started with more questions than answers. The club's supporters hope a strong performance, perhaps with a more electric atmosphere than recent domestic fixtures, can help erase the doubts and set a tone for the rest of the campaign while Genk attempt to derail Rangers' European ambitions.